Machine for operating upon heels



Aug. 16, 1932.

L. J. BAZZONI 1,872,388

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON HEELS Filed Feb. 15, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 16, 1932. L. J. BAZZON! 1,872,388

I MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON HEELS I Filed Feb. 15, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 LEWIS J. BAZZONI, 0F SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE IviACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY MACHINE FOR OI'ELRATING UPON HEELS Application filed February 15, 1929. Serial No. 340,158.

This invention relates to machines for operating upon heels, and is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine designed to cut a reiatively narrow groove or slot along the 5 middle of the breast of a Cuban heel, heightwise of the heel, to receive the margins of a heel covering.

One object of the invention is to provide a readily operable machine of simple construction which will form a groove or slot in a heel accurately in predetermined location.

ith this object in view, and in accordance with certain features of the invention, the illustrated machine comprises a heel support self-adjustable to heels of different sizes andstyles, for positioning the heel relatively to the groove-forming device to insure thatthe groove will be located in a predetermined relation to the heel. In the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, a circular saw is employed as the groove-forming means, the saw projecting through a saw table into the path of a heel moved past the saw by a heel carrier on the table. The illustrated carrier is guided for sliding movement on the table in a direction at right angles to the axis of the saw; The carrier of the illustrated machine is designed to support a Cuban heel placed breast face down thereon, and the illustrated means for positioning the heel. relatively to the saw comprises a positioning shoulder fined relatively to the carrier and arranged to engage the opposite lateral edges of the seat face of the heel near the breast to orient the heel, that is, to position it angularly upon the carrier, with its a-Y-Iis extending in the direction of movement of the carrier. There is also provided, in the illustrated machine, a centering fork for cooperating with the positioning shoulder to center the heel breast transversely relatively to the saw so that the groove will be formed along the heightwise median line of the heel breast.

In accordance with other features of the invention, the illustrated centering fork is provided with oppositely but equally inclined ly, if necessary, to center the heel breast with and agroove-forming or slot-forming device ference with theheel as the heel is being appositioning surfaces for engaging the lateral edges of the seat face of the heel, and the fork is yieldingly mounted and normally held in position to engage a heel before the heel is angularly positioned by the fixed shoulder on the carrier and-to be displaced in the direction of movement of the heel, thereby compressing a spring and causing the fork to react upon the heel moving it transverserespect to the saw. As shown the inclined positioning surfaces of the centering fork are formed at the lower extremity of a curved arm the upper portion of which is pivotally connected with the free extremity of a curved standard on the heel carrier. The shape and arrangement of the illustrated standard and the curved arm herein shown as constituting the centering fork are such as to avoid interplied to or removed from the heel carrier.

Also, as illustrated, the heel carrier is recessed to provide a shallow heel-receiving pocket, the bottom of which slopes relatively to the saw table so as to support the heel with its heightwise median line parallel to the surface of the table and thus to insure the cutting of a groove of. uniform depth along this median line.

In connection with the foregoing, it should be understood that the present invention is not necessarily limited in its application to machines of the illustrated type or to machines for grooving the breasts of heels, since various features of the invention may have utility in connection with other operations on heels'or with operations on other articles, for example articles which are substantially heel shaped, such as heel lifts.

The invention further consists in features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and more particularly defined in the claims.

The invention will bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view, partially in side elevation and partially in section,,of a machine embodying the invention, showing the heel carrier in the fully advanced position which it occupies after a heel has been moved past at right angles to the axis of the saw as the the saw;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partially in section on the line II-II of Fig. 1, illustrating the manner in which a heel is held by the operat-or in a position determined by the positioning means on the carrier;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the carrier in its initial or fully retractec position;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the .machine, the section being taken alongthe vertical axial plane of the saw;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the machine showing the heel carrier retracted and the heel centering device in its normal inoperative position;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view'taken along the line. VIVI of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a Cuban heel having a groove formed in its breast face by means of the illustrated machine; and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the use of the machine for cutting a groove non-centrally located in the heel breast.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated heel grooving machine comprises a circular saw 10, a table 12 through which the saw projects, a heel support consisting of a carrier 14, slidably mounted'on the table 12, for supporting a heel and carrying it to and past the saw,a positioning shoulder 16 on the carrier for orienting or angularly positioning the heel on the carrier, and a centering device 18 cooperating with the shoulder 16 to center the heel breast transversely relatively to the saw so that the groove or slot cut by the saw will extend along the heightwise median line of the heel breast.

The saw 10 is fast on a shaft 20 which is journaled in bearin s in a stationary frame 22 and is adapted to be driven by any suitable means such as an electric motor (not shown). The table 12 is pivoted at the rear upon studs 24, 24 (Fig. 4) projecting laterally from the frame 22,, and the table is slotted, as shown at 26, to permit the saw 10 to project upwardly through the table, while a slot 27 in the carrier 14 enables the saw to project through the carrier into the path of a heel thereon. At its front end the table ,12, is supported by means of a nest 28 which is mounted with provision for vertical adjustment in the frame 22. By adjusting the post 28the table may be tilted about the studs 24to vary the distance which the saw projects above the table and thus to vary the depth of the groove cut by the saw in the heel. Adjusting screws 30, 230, thread ed through portions of the table 12 and arranged with their inner ends bearing against opposite .sidesof the frame 22, provide means for adjusting the table 12 laterally to cen tralize the slot 26 relatively to the saw.. In order to guide the heel carrier 14 in a path carrier slides over the table 12, so that the saw will cut a straight, fiat-sided groove in the heel breast, a rib 32 (Fig. 4) on the lower side of the heel carrier is dove-tailed within a guideway 34 in the table 12 extending parallel to the faces of the saw. At the rear of the carrier slide 14, i. e., at the end nearer the operator, there is provided a handle 36 of convenient form to be grasped for the purpose of moving the carrier forwardly over the table to form the groove in the heel. and

rearw ardly to return the carrier to starting position, The forward movement of the carrier 14 is limited by the engagement of a screw 38, projecting from one side of. the carrier, with an abutment 40 on the table 12 while the retracting movement of the carrier is limited by engagement of the screw 38 with an abutment 42 on the table.

The breast of a Cuban heel is wider and its transverse concavity is deeper at the junction of the breast and the top or seat face of the heel than at the junction of the breast and the bottom face of the heel to which the top lift is to be applied. Consequently. the hei htwise pitch of the heel breast of such a heel is greater in the middle than at the lateral edges of the breast. It will be clear, therefore. that if the heel were moved in the plane of its lateral breast edges'past the saw 10, the heightwise median line of the heel breast (where the groove is to be made) would not be parallel to the direction of movement of the heel and therefore the groove would be deeper at one end of the heel breast than at the other end thereof. It is desirable. however. to make the groove of substantially uniform depth throughout its entire length. Consequently provision has been made for positioning the heel so that its lengthwise median plane lies in the plane of the saw and for moving the heel past the saw in a path substantially parallel to the heightwise median line of the breast. As illustrated. this result has been accomplished-by recessing the upper surface of the heel carrier 14 to provide a shallow pocket 44, the bottom surface 46 of which is slightly inclined with respect to the surface of the table 12, the surface 46 sloping toward the rear of the machine and its angle of inclination being substantially equal to the difference in heightwise pitch between the lateral edges and the heightwise median line of the heel breast of an average Cuban heel. Because of this construction, when a heel is placed breast face down within the pocket 44 in the carrier slide, the opposite lateral edges of the heel breast which rest upon the inclined surface 46 will be correspondingly inclined to the surface of the table 12, while the heightwise median line of the breast surface will be substantially parallel to the surface of the table and consequently to the direction of movement of the heel as it moves past'the saw. Thus the groove formed in the breast will be of substantially uniform depth throughout its length. If desired. the angle of inclination of the surface 46 may be reversed so that it will slope toward the front instead of toward the rear of the machine, thus adapting the carrier to support a heel positioned thereon with the top lift end directed forwardly, instead of the seat face end as herein. illustrated.

The rear wall of the pocket 44 is disposed at right angles to the direction of movement of the slide and constitutes the positioning shoulder or abutment 16 against which the seat face end of the heel is held by the operator. Extending atright angles to the direction of increment of the heel and parallel to the axis of the saw, this positioning shoulder 16 serves, when a heel is positioned against it, a to orient the heelor posi Ion it an gularly in the plane of its lateral breast edges with the heightwise median line of its breast face at right angles to the axis of he saw.

In addition to orienting or angularly posi tioning the heel. relatively to the as above described, provision is made for accurately centeringthe heel transversely of its breast with respect to the saw. so that the groove made by the saw will extend along the heightwise median l ne of the heel breast. For this purpose. heel entering device 18 is arranged to cooperate with the positioning shoulder 16.

'As shown, the centering device18 comprises a cur ed arm (Fi 1 and 5) which is forked at its lower extrem ty to provide opposed centering jaws 68 having oppositely inclined heel centering surfaces 70 at their inner sides. The curved arm 18 is also forked at its upper end to straddle the forwardly projecting extremity of curved upr ght 50 on the carrier 14 to which the 18 is pivotally connected by a bolt The upright 50 is secured by means of bolts 54 to the rear portion of the carrier slide 14 and is shaped and arranged, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, so as to provide for pivotal support of the center g arm 18 at a oint 'e the pocket 44, wl. at the same time avoid ng interference with the introduction of a heel into the pocket 14; or the removal of the heel therefrom. A spring 56, seated at one end in a socket (Fig. 1) in the upright 50 and at its oppos'te end in av socket in the centering arm 18, normally holds the latter yieldingly in a forward position determined by the engagement of a. lug 62 on the centering arm with a lined abutment 64 on the carrier slide 14. A nut 53 on the bolt 52 normally serves merely to hold the. bolt in place without interfering with free swinging movement of the centering fort: 18. However, the nut 53 may be tightened to clamp the centering fork to the engaged with the abutment 64.

standard 50 for a purpose hereinafter explained. c

The heel centering surfaces 7 O of the op posed jaws 68 are inclined at equal angles with respect to the longitudinal center line seat face, and because of the normal position of the centering fork the surfaces 70 will engage the heel edges before both of them are It will be appreciated that if a heel is angularly positioned with its breastface at right angles to the plane of the saw, when the seat face edges are both engaged with the shoulder 16, the seat face edges will engage corresponding points in the beveled surfaces 70,70. which points are equi-distant from the longitudinal center line of the carrier slide 14 (and from the plane of the saw), and that consequently the heel breast will be transversely centered relatively to the saw.

It is desirable, for'purposes of accuracy, that the points of engagement of these inclined positioning faces 70 with the heel shall be as near the breast face as possible. Con sequently, the inclined faces 70 are located as close practicable to the surfaceof the carrier slide and, in addition. these faces are rounded transversely, as shown clearly at 72, 72 in 4, so that only the lowermost edges of these incl ned faces will engage the heel.

The yielding mounting of the arm 18, and the construction and arrangement of the heel engaging fingers 68. 68, provide a device which, in cooperation with the positioning shoulder or abutment 16, operates upon all heels manually presented thereto, to position the heels with the heightwise median lines of their breast faces in line with the saw 10. Furthermore, because of the yielding mounting of the arm 18, the center ing device isself-adjustable to heels of different sizes and styles.

For the purpose of protecting the hand of the operator from possible injury by the saw as he holds the heel in position on the heel carrier, a guard 74 (Fig; 2) is provided. As shown, the guard 74 is pivoted at 76 to the heel carrier 14, the free extremity of the guard overlying the slot 27 in the carrier through which the upper portion of the saw projects. Normally the guard is held by a spring 7 8 in a position determined by engagement of a lug 80 on the guard with an abutment 82 on the carrier 14. The spring 78 permits the guard to yield to accommodate heels of different sizes and insures that when the heel has been positioned upon the carrier the guard will cover the portion of the slot 27 which is immediately behind'the heel. In front of the pocket- 44 in the heel carrier the slot 27 is bridged by a superstructure 84 (see Figs. 1 and 6) to which the standard 50 is secured. This superstructure 84 covers the slot 27 in front of the heel and thus prevents accidental contact of the operators hands with the saw at this location while the guard 7 4 prevents contact with the saw behind the heel.

In using the machine the operator grasps the handle 36 with his right hand and holds the carrier slide 14 in the retracted position shown in Fig. 5, while with hisv left hand he grasps a heel to be operated upon and places it breast face down in front of the guard 74 and against the inclined bottom surface of the pocket 44 in the carrier slide, the guard yielding, if necessary, to accommodate the heel. The seat face end of the heel is directed forwardly and is introduced bet-ween the inclined positioning surfaces at the lower extremity of the centering arm 18. While the carrier 14 is held stationary by the operator, the heel is moved forwardly over the inclined surface 46 of the heel re-' ceiving pocket 44 until the opposite edges of the seat face both engage the positioning shoulder or abutment 16, this sliding move ment of the heel bringing the edges of the seat face also into engagement with the equally but oppositely inclined inner edge faces 70 of the centering fingers 68, and swinging the centering arm 18 rearwardly about its pivotal axis and against the action of the spring 56. As the centering arm 18 moves rearwardly the force of the spring 56, acting upon the heel through the centering fingers 68, tends to shift the heel transversely if it is not already transversely centered with respect to the saw. During this forward sliding movement of the heel over the inclined surface 46, the heel is held lightly by the operator so as not unduly to resist the yielding cam action of the centering fingers 68. WVhen the opposite edges of the seat face have both been brought into engagement with the positioning shoulder 44, if the heel is heldlightly as above described, the opposite lateral edges of the seat face of the heel will necessarily engage corresponding points in the equally but oppositely beveled edges 70, 70. It will be obvious that, since the shoulder 44 is at right angles to the plane of the saw, and since the corresponding points in the edges 70, 70 are equidistant from the plane of the saw, not only will the heel be angularly positioned with the heightwise median line of its breast face parallelto the plane of the saw but also with said median line coincident with the plane of the saw, or, in other words, the heel breast will be transversely centered with respect to the saw. The operator then moves the carrier slide by means of the handle 36 while still retaining his grasp of the heel with his left hand so as to support it against the thrust of the saw. The forward movement of the carrier slide 14 carries the heel past the saw-while the latter cuts the groove in the center of the heel breast. After the heel has passed the saw it may be removed from the carrier slide before the latter is retracted, after which the carrier is returned to its initial retracted position ready to receive another heel.

In case it may be desirable to make a groove which is offset more or less from the middle of the heel breast, or, for example, to make parallel grooves each spaced an equal distance from the middle of the heel breast, the centering fork may be initially adjusted relatively to the positioning shoulder 16 so that the distance between the inclined surfaces 70, 7 O in the plane of the shoulder 16 will be greater than the width of the heel and suchthat when one side of the heel is engaged with the corresponding inclined surface 7 O of the centering fork, the heel will be positioned so that the groove will be cut at a required distance from the middle of the heel breast. After thus adjusting the fork 18, it should be fixedly secured in place by tightening the nut 53 on the bolt 52. The relative positions of the centering fork and positioning shoulder for locating a heel of a particular size for the cutting of a groove non-centrally located in the heel breast is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 8, wherein a heel H is shown positioned in the proper angular relation to the saw by means of the shoulder 16 but with only one side of the heel engaged with the centering fork. It will be apparent from an examination of this figure that the height-wise median line of the heel breast is offset from the vertical plane of the saw and that consequently the groove will be formed at one side of the middle of the heel breast.

After forming a groove at one side of the middle of the heel breast as above described, the heel may be shifted transversely to bring it into engagement with the opposite surface 70 of the centering fork to position the heel for the cutting in its breast of a second groove parallel with the first and located at an equal distance from the middle of the breast.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for grooving heels, in combination, a heel support and a grooveforming device relatively movable to form in a heel a groove extending heightwis-e thereof, and means self-adjustable to heels of different sizes and styles for positioning the heel laterally thereof relatively to the groove forming device to insure that the groove will be located in the same position in heels of different sizes and styles.

2. In a machine for grooving the breasts of heels, in combination, a heel support and different sizes and styles in a predetermined rela tion laterally of the heels to the groove,- itormmg tool.

3. In a machine for grooving the breasts of heels, in combination, a heel supp art and a groove-forming tool relatively movable to form in the breast of heels of different and styles relatively deep and narrow grooves extending heightwise of the heels, and a selfadjustable means for centering the heels of difierent sizes and styles relatively to the groove-forming tool.

l. In a machine for grooving the breasts of heels, in combination, a heel support and a groove-forming device relatively movable "to form a groove in the breast or" a heel resting breast face down upon said support, and selfadjustable means for positioning the heel upon the support relatively to the grooveforming device to insure forming the groove in coincidence with the heightwise median line of the heel breast.

5. In machine for grooving the breasts of heels, in combination, a heel support and a groove-forming tool relatively movable to form in. the breasts of heels of different sizes and styles grooves extending heightwise of the heels, and self-adjusting means comprising a pair of heel engaging fingers movable with reference to the heel support, said means being constructed and arranged to position the heels of different sizes and styles on the support in the same predetermined relation to the groove-forming tool.

6. In a machine for grooving the breasts of heels, in combination, a groove-forming tool, a heel support movable relatively to the tool to form cover margin receiving grooves in heels of different sizes'and styles upon the support, and members relatively movable under pressure of the heels for positioning the heels on said support to insure a predetermined location of a groove in thebreast of each or the heels.

7. In a machine for grooving the breasts of heels, in combination, a heel support and a groove-forming tool relatively movable to form groove in the breast of a heel on the support, and parts on thesupport constructed and arranged for relative movement under pressure of the heel to position the heel with respect to the groove-forming tool to insure formation of the groove in coincidence with the heightwise median line of the heel breast.

8. In a machine for grooving the breasts of heels, in combination, groove-forming means, a carrier for supporting a heel and moving it relatively 'to the groove-forming mea'nsxto cause a groove to be formed in the breast ofthe heel to receive 'a-cover m'a-rgin, andmembers relatively movable under pressure of the heel constructed and arranged to position the heel on the carrierto insure a predetermined location of the groove in'the heel breast. :9. In machine for grooving the breasts 1 ioels, in combination, means to form in the breast of a heel a groove extending heightwise of the heel, a carrier to support the heel to be ZTETOOVGCl, means for supporting the carrier and guiding it for movement to carry the heel to and past the groove-forming means, and relatively movable members, one of Which engages opposite sides of 'the heel, said membersbeing constructedand arranged 'angularly to position the heel upon the carrier and to center the heel breast transversely with respect to the groove-forming means. 10; In a machine for grooving the breasts otheelsyin combination, means to form in the breast of a heel a groove extending heightwise of the heel, a carrier to support the heel to be grooved, means for supporting the carrier and guiding it for movement to carry the heel to and past the groove-forming device, a device for orienting the heel upon the carrier, and self-adjustable means cooperating with said device to :center the heel breast laterally thereof relatively to the groove forming means.

' 11. In a machine for grooving the breasts of heels, in combination, a table, a heel carri'er 011 the table, a rotary saw projecting through the table and through the carrier, means for guiding the carrier for sliding movement on the table at right angles to the axis of the saw to carry a heel across the saw, and means including a membe'r yieldable underpressure of the heel mounted uponthe carrier and constructed and arranged to position "the heel in a predetermined relation'to the saw.- V Y 12. In a machine for grooving'the breasts of heels,incombination, a heel carrier, a

rotary saw projecting into the path of aheel on the carrier for forming a groove in the breasts of the heel, mecn's including a anembe yieldable under pressure of the heel mountedupon the carrier for positioning the heel with its heightwise median line in the planeor" the saw, and a support for the carrier capable of adjustment to vary the depth movement of "the carrier toward the groove forming device and cooperating with said gage to center the heel laterally thereof relatively to the groove-forming device. V

14'. In a machine for grooving the breasts of heels, in combination, a device to form in the breast of a heel a groove extending heightwise of the heel, a heel-supporting carrier movable in a predetermined path to carry a heel past said device, a positioning shoulder ,5 on the carrier extending at right angles to the direction of movement of the carrier for determining the angular position of a heel on the carrier, and a member on the carrier yieldable in the direction of movement of the carrier and arranged to cooperate with said shoulder to center the heel laterally thereof relatively to the groove-forming device.

15. In a machine for grooving the breasts of heels, in combination, a groove-forming device, a carrier for moving a heel past the groove-forming device, a shoulder on the carrier with which the heel is engaged to determine its angular position with respect to the groove-forming device, and a pair of opposed jaws fixed relatively to each other but movable relatively to the carrier in the direction of movement of the carrier and arranged to cooperate with said shoulder to center the heel relatively to the groove-forming device.

16. For use in a machine for grooving heels, a centering fork having oppositely inclined surfaces for engaging the opposite lateral edges of one face of a heel, the fork being arranged to yieldv as a heel is pressed against it, and a fixed positioning shoulder extending at right angles to the direction of yielding movement of the fork and arranged to engage both of said edges only after the fork has yielded to the pressure of the heel being forced against it.

17. In a machine for slotting the breasts of heels, in combination, slot-forming means, a carrier for supporting a heel by engagement with its opposite lateral breast edges as the heel is moved to and past the. slot-forming means, a shoulder on the carrier constructed and arranged to position-the heel angularly in the plane of said breast edges, and a positioning device movable under pressure of the heel relatively to said shoulder and cooperating with the latter to center the heel breast transversely relatively to the slot-forming means.

18. In a machine for operating upon heels, in combination, a support for a heel, means for operating upon the heel on the support to form in the breast of the heel a groove extending heightwise thereof, a heel-positioning abutment fixed relatively to said support for orienting the heel on the support, and yielding means cooperating with said fixed abutment to center the heel relatively to the operating means.

19. In a machine for operating upon heels,

form in the breast of a heel a groove extending heightwise of the heel, a heel-positioning abutment fixed relatively to said support for orienting the heel on the support, a centering device normally movable relatively to said abutment to center the heel laterally thereof relatively to the operating means, yielding means to maintain the centering device in cooperative relation with said abutment, and means for positively securing the centering device in fixed relation to said abut- Y ment.

21. In a machine for operating upon heels, in combination, a support for a heel, means for operating upon the heel, a fixed abutment on the support for determining the angular position of the heel relatively to said operating means, and a yieldingly mounted centering device having a forked extremity adapted to engage the opposite lateral edges of one of the faces of the heel and to cooperate with said abutment in centering the heel relatively to the operating means.

22. In a machine for forming grooves in the breasts of Cuban heels, in combination, groove-forming means and a carrier for moving a heel to and past the groove-forming means, the carrier having a heel-supporting surface inclined relatively to the direction of movement of the carrier so that a Cuban heel having the opposite lateral edges of its breast resting on said surface will be positioned with the heightwise median line of its breast face substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the carrier.

23. In a machine for forming grooves in the breasts of Cuban heels, the combination of a circular groove-forming saw, a heel carrier having a surface for supporting a Cuban heel by engagement with the opposite lateral edges of its breast, the carrier being movable at right angles to the axis of the saw and arranged to carry the breast of the heel across the saw and the heel-supporting surface of the carrier being inclined relatively to the-direction of movement of the carrier at an angle substantially equal to the difierence in pitch between the lateral edges of the heel breast and the heightwise median line thereof, and means for positioning the heel on the carrier with the heightwise median line of its breast face in the plane of the saw.

Till) 24. In a machine for forming grooves in the breasts of Cuban heels, in combination, a circular saw, a table through which the saw projects, and a heel carrier mounted to slide across the table and to move a heel to and past the saw, said carrier having a surface for supporting the heel by engagement with the opposite lateral edges of its breast and said surface being inclined relatively to the direction of sliding movement of the heel carrier at an angle to position the heel with the heightwise median line of the heel breast substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the carrier.

In a heel-positioning device, a heel support, a fixed abutment on the heel sup port for engaging one end of a heel on the support to orient the heel, a pivoted arm having oppositely inclined faces for engaging the edges of said end of the heel, and yielding means for normally positioning said arm so that said inclined faces will cooperate with said abutment in centering the heel.

26. In a machine for grooving heels, in combination, a grooving tool constructed and arranged to form in the breast of a heel a groove extending heightwise thereof, a table through which the grooving tool projects, a carrier slidably mounted on the table for supporting the heel and carrying it to and past-the tool, a positioning shoulder on the carrier for angularly positioning the heel, and a centering device cooperating with said positioning shoulder to center the heel transversely thereof relatively to the tool.

27. In a machine for grooving the breasts of heels, in combination, a. circular saw, a table through which the saw projects, a heel carrier, means for guiding a heel. on the carrier for sliding movement on the tableat right angles to the axis of the saw to carry the heel. to and past the saw, a positioning shoulder on the carrier for determining the angular position of the heel, and a centering device cooperating with the shoulder to position the heel relatively to the saw so that a groove cut by the saw will'extend along the heightwise median line of the heel breast. 28. In a machine for grooving heel breasts, in combination, a circular saw, a saw table, a heel carrier guided for sliding movement on said table at right angles to the axis of the saw to carry a heel to and past the saw,

an abutment shoulder on said carrier extend ing parallel to the axis of the saw for orienting a heel on the carrier, a curved'arm arranged with its con cave side toward a heel on the carrier and having one end pivotally connected to the carrier at a point above the heel, a spring urging said arm toward the heel, and means for limiting the swinging movement of the arm. the unpivoted end of said arm having opposed inwardly sloping sur-- faces cooperating with said abutment in centering the heel relatively tothe saw.

29. In a machine for slotting heel breasts, in combination, a circular saw constructed and arranged to form in the breast of a heel a heel cover receiving slot extending height- Wise thereof, a saw table, a heel carrier guided for sliding movement on the table at right angles to the axis of the saw to carry the heel to and past the saw, a yieldable member constructed and arranged to engage op-- posite sides of the heel, and an abutment on the carrier extending parallel to the axis of the saw and constructed and arranged to cooperate with said members in centralizing a heel upon the table.

30. In a machine for slotting heel breasts, in combination, a circular saw constructed and arranged to form in the breast of a heel a heel cover receiving slot extending height- Wise thereof, a saw table, a heel carrier guided for sliding movement on the table at right angles to the axis of the saw to carry the heel to and past the saw, a forked member yieldable under pressure of the heel and constructed and arranged to engage opposite sides of the heel, and an abutment on the carrier extending parallel to the axis of the saw and constructed and a'ranged to cooperate with said members in positioning the lengthwise median plane of the breast of the heel in the plane of the saw.

31. In a machine for grooving heel breasts, in combination, groove-forming means, a carrier for supporting a heel and moving it past the groove forming means, a shoulder on the carrier for angularly positioning the heel, a centering fork displace-able relatively to said shoulder in the direction of movement of the heel carrier for centering the heel relatively to the groove-forming means, and a spring for returning the centering fork to normal position after the heel has been removed from the machine.

32. In a machine for grooving the breasts of heels, in combination, a table, a heel carrier on the table, a rotary saw projecting through the table and carrier into the path of a heel on the carrier, means for guiding the carrier for sliding movementto carry the heel to and past the saw, and a'yieldable guard self-adjustable to heels of different sizes for covering the portion of the saw projecting through the carrier behind the heel.

33. A machine for grooving the breasts v of heels having, in combination, means constructed and arranged to form in the breast of a heel a relatively deep and narrow groove extendingheightwise of the heel, a carrier construct-ed and arranged to support the heel to be grooved, means constructed and arranged to support the carrier and to guide it for movement to carry the heel to and past the groove-forming means, a device constructed and arranged to orient the heel upon the carrier relatively to the sawv to insure that the groove will extend heightwise of the heel, and means yieldable under'pressure of the heel constructed and arranged to cooperate with said device to center the heel transversely thereof relatively to the grooveforming means to form in the breast of the heel a groove which is equidistant from each of the breast edges of the heel. I

34. In a machine for grooving the breasts of heels, a device to form in the breast of a heel a relatively deep and narrow groove estending heightwise of the heel, a heel-supporting carrier movable in a predetermined path to carry a heel past-said device, a positioning shoulder on the carrier extending at right angles to the direction of movement of the carrier for determining the angular position of the heel on the carin er, and a member on the carrier yieldable under pressure ofthe heel in the direction of movement of the carrier and arranged to cooperate with said shoulder to center the heel laterally thereof relatively to the groove-forming device.

35. In a machine for operating upon heels, a support for a heel, means for operating upon a heel upon the support to form in the breast of the heel a relatively deep and narrow groove extending heightwise thereof, a heel-positioning abutment fixed relatively to said support for orienting the heel on said support, and yielding means cooperating with said fixed abutment to center the heel laterally thereof relatively to the operating means to form a groove which is coincident with the heightwise median line of the heel breast.

36. A machine for operating upon heels having, in combination, a support for a heel, means for operating upon the heel to form in the breast thereof a groove extending heightwise of the heel, a fixed abutment upon the support for determinin the angle of position of the heel relatively to said operating means, and a yieldingly mounted device hav ing a forked extremity for engaging the op posite lateral edges of one of the faces of the heel and for cooperating with said abutment in centering the heel laterally thereof in order that the groove formed will be coincident with the heightwi e median line of the heel breast.

37. A heel grooving machine having, in combination, a circular saw, a table mounted for movement past the saw and provided with a slotted portion over which a heel ma} be positioned breast downwardly upon the table preparatory to operating uponthe heel, an abutment mounted for movement with the table and constructed and arranged to engage the attaching face of the heel, a bifurcated member mounted for movement both with the table and relatively to the table and constructed and arranged to engage the sides of the heel upon the table and to cooperate with the abutment to position the heel with its lengthwise inedi an plane substantially in the plane of the saw, and means for guiding the table in a predetermined path to cause the slotted portion thereof to straddle the saw and to move the positioned heel past the saw to form in the breast of said heel a heel cover receiving groove which is coincident with the median line of the breast of the heel.

38. A heel grooving machine having, in combination, a circular saw, a table mounted for movement past the saw-and provided with a slotted portion over which a heel may be positioned breast downwardly upon the table preparatory to operating upon the heel, an abutment mounted for movement with the table and constructed and arranged to engage the attaching face of the heel, a bifurcated member mounted for movement both with the table and relatively to the table and constructed and arranged to engage the sides of the heel upon the table and to cooperate with the abutment to position the heel with its lengthwise median plane substantially in the plane of the saw, means for guiding the table in a predetermined path to cause the slotted portion thereof to straddle the saw and to move the positioned heel past the saw to form in the breast of said heel a heel cover receiving groove which is coincident with the median line of the breast of the heel, and means for initially adjusting the table with reference to the saw to change the path of movement of the table past the saw thereby regulating the depth of the groove formed in the breast of the heel.

39. A heel grooving machine having, in combination, a circular saw, a table mounted for movement past the saw, an abutment mounted for movement with the table, a centering device mounted for movement with the table and also yieldingly mounted relativelyto the abutment and constructed and arranged to cooperate with the abutment in positioning a heel which is placed breast downwardly upon the table so that its lengthwise median )lane will be coincident with the plane of the saw, and means for guiding the table past the saw to form in the breast of the heel positioned upon the table a heel cover receiving groove which is coincident with the median line of the breast of the heel.

40. A heel grooving machine having, in combination, a circular saw, a table mounted for movement past the saw, an abutment mounted for movement with the table, a centering device mounted for movement with the table and also yieldingly mounted relatively to the abutment and constructed and arranged to cooperate with the abutment in positioning a heel which is placed breast downwardly upon the table so that its lengthwise median plane will be coincident with the plane of the saw, and means for guiding the table past the saw to form in the breast of the heel positioned upon the table a heel cover receiving groove which is coincident with the lengthwise median plane of the heel, said table and said saw being relatively adjustable to change the path of movement of the table past the saw to vary the depth of the groove formed in the breast of the heel.

41. A machine for grooving heels having, in combination, a circular saw, a heel support mounted for movement in the plane of the saw, an abutment, and a bifurcated mem ber relatively movable in the plane of the saw for centralizing a heel upon the support preparatory to moving the support past the saw to form in theheel upon the support a heel cover receiving groove.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

LEWIS J. BAZZONI. 

